Back to EveryPatent.com
United States Patent |
6,073,546
|
Alcorn
|
June 13, 2000
|
Food grill and cooking basket
Abstract
A cooking grill is provided with a tubular compartment positioned within a
fuel container. The tubular compartment has a removable tray upon which
food items may be placed. Heat is evenly distributed within the tubular
compartment by burning charcoal to provide an even, uniform cooking
temperature throughout. Additionally a grill cooking basket is provided
which is well suited to positioning over the grill's fuel container. The
grill basket includes a transverse member which rides upon a ledge within
the fuel container of the grill. When rotated, the transverse member
forces the grill basket upwardly away from the burning fuel in order to
prevent the grill basket from inadvertently contacting the burning fuel.
V-shaped forks hold each grill basket in place on the fuel container at
the front and rear.
Inventors:
|
Alcorn; Gary S. (165 Alcorn Loop Rd., Ruffin, NC 27326)
|
Appl. No.:
|
304456 |
Filed:
|
May 3, 1999 |
Current U.S. Class: |
99/427; 99/449; 99/450 |
Intern'l Class: |
A47J 037/08 |
Field of Search: |
99/427,426,450,449
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
706502 | Aug., 1902 | Van Wie | 99/450.
|
3091170 | May., 1963 | Wilson | 99/427.
|
3559565 | Feb., 1971 | Getz | 99/450.
|
5325767 | Jul., 1994 | Beller | 99/421.
|
5660101 | Aug., 1997 | Cirigliano | 99/395.
|
5755153 | May., 1998 | Su | 99/426.
|
5761991 | Jun., 1998 | Kambies | 99/427.
|
Primary Examiner: Alexander; Reginald L.
Parent Case Text
This is a division of application Ser. No. 08/989,730 filed Dec. 12 1997,
now U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,152.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A food grill comprising:
a) a container;
b) at least one v-shaped fork, said v-shaped fork positioned on said
container; and
c) a first cooking basket, said first cooking basket positioned above said
container, said first cooking basket comprising a transverse member and a
longitudinal member, said transverse member resting on said container,
said longitudinal member resting in said v-shaped fork; whereby rotation
of said longitudinal member rotates said transverse member thereby to
force said cooking basket upwardly as it rotates.
2. The food grill of claim 1 further comprising a second cooking basket.
3. The food grill of claim 1 further comprising means to heat said cooking
basket, said heating means within said container proximate said cooking
basket.
4. The food grill of claim 3 further comprising a receptacle, said
receptacle adapted to receive heating means and positioned proximate said
container.
5. The food grill of claim 1 wherein said first cooking basket comprises a
pair of hingedly joined open mesh wire structures.
6. The food grill of claim 1 wherein said container is metal.
7. The food grill of claim 1 wherein said container is generally
rectangular.
8. The food grill of claim 1 further comprising a tubular compartment, said
tubular compartment proximate said container.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to grills, specifically outdoor food grills and
cooking baskets which may be used therewith.
2. Description of the Prior Art And Objectives of the Invention
Outdoor grilling is amongst the nation's most favorite pastimes.
Recognizing this, numerous grills have proliferated on the market to
satisfy the urges of the increasing numbers of outdoor chefs. Some have
been adapted for gas use and may even be used indoors. Other grills have
been produced which are round, square, spherical, and almost any shape
imaginable. People cook everything from hot dogs, hamburgers, and steaks
to potatoes and mushrooms on their grills.
While functional and convenient, conventional grills create problems
flipping items placed on the grill's wire mesh or other cooking surface.
For example, hamburgers may crumble or stick to the wire mesh and cause
difficulty as a user attempts to insert a spatula between the hamburger
and the wire mesh during cooking. A potato wrapped in aluminum foil may be
irregularly shaped and thus difficult to turn with a spatula or tongs as
the irregularities cause the potato to "tip over" from its desired
positioning. Another problem arises when the wire mesh is so crowded that
it is difficult to position the spatula under a selected item, resulting
in time wasted repositioning items while the selected item burns.
Additionally, repeated use of standard grills often causes the bottom to
"burn out" as charcoal ash and fat can mix to form a caustic solution
which rusts and corrodes the bottom of the grill.
Thus, with the above problems and limitations in mind, it is an objective
of the present invention to provide a wire mesh cooking basket which
readily and securely receives items to be cooked and also facilitates
rotation of said items while cooking.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a grill which
includes a tubular compartment which is proximate the cooking coals, below
the basket, and which evenly distributes heat within for an additional
cooking area.
It is yet a further objective of the present invention to provide a grill
which is well suited for use in combination with the above mentioned
cooking basket.
It is still a further objective of the present invention to provide a grill
which is easily adapted for use with gas, charcoal, wood or other fuels.
It is another objective to provide a set of easily replaceable metal pans
which line the grill bottom to prevent rusting.
It is yet another objective to provide a grill which holds a cooking
basket.
It is still another objective to provide a grill which may be closed to
smother a fire or reduce smoke.
These and other objectives and advantages will become readily apparent to
those skilled in the art upon reference to the following detailed
description and appended claims.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aforesaid and other objectives are realized by a grill suited for use
in conjunction with a cooking basket. The cooking basket is formed from
two opposing planar open mesh wire structures which are hingedly joined at
one end. Each wire structure includes a longitudinal member, one of which
is attached to a pair of transverse members. A catch allows the two
longitudinal members to be releasably joined so that the cooking basket
may be held in a closed posture. A pair of wooden handles attached to the
longitudinal members allow the cooking basket to be manually manipulated
without burning the user and allow the user to not have to touch a grease
fouled surface. For sanitary and durability concerns, the cooking basket,
with the exception of the handle, is made of metal, preferably stainless
steel. The grill is preferably adapted for use with two such cooking
baskets.
The longitudinal members of each of the cooking baskets are received by two
opposing v-shaped vertical forks attached to a frame positioned proximate
the fuel container of the grill. These forks act as guides to locate and
hold the cooking basket in place during cooking manipulations. The
transverse members of the baskets are preferably elongated, solid members
which ride on the frame and force the basket upwardly, away from the coals
as the user turns the food laden basket. While preferred, these elongated
transverse members could be replaced by elliptical or round members of
sufficient diameter to cause the basket to clear the coals when turned.
Additionally, the grill is provided with a cylindrical tubular cooking
compartment which extends through the fuel container of the grill. This
tubular cooking compartment includes a door with a handle and an open wire
mesh tray. The tray is slightly arcuate and supported by a shelf within
the tube. This compartment receives heat from burning fuel and the
circular cross-section effectuates an even distribution of heat. Thus,
this compartment is well suited for cooking potatoes, hot dogs or other
items.
A pair of trays line the fuel container and preferably hold charcoal or
fuel for cooking, although "lava rocks" or other heat distributors could
be so held. These trays slip somewhat under the tubular cooking
compartment and allow the burning fuel or other means for heating the food
to effectively surround the cooking compartment while at the same time
catching grease dripping from food that is cooking. These trays are easily
removable and replaceable in the event of corrosion or rusting. This
protects the fuel container from deteriorating.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a front view of the preferred grill of the present invention
in a closed position;
FIG. 2 illustrates a partial top view of the preferred grill of FIG. 1 in
an open position, with the cooking baskets removed and the interior tray
partially extended from its tubular compartment;
FIG. 3 demonstrates a cross sectional view of the preferred grill along
lines 3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 features a top view of the preferred cooking basket of the present
invention seen in its open position;
FIG. 5 depicts a side view of the cooking basket of FIG. 4 in a closed
position; and
FIGS. 6 A-6 D picture the preferred cooking basket of FIG. 4 with one
handle removed for clarity, in various rotated positions.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT AND OPERATION OF THE
INVENTION
Turning now to the drawings, specifically FIG. 1 shows a front view of
preferred outdoor food grill 10. Grill 10 includes conventional legs 11
(only the front two shown, but three or four are used in practice) which
may optionally have wheels (not shown) on the terminal ends as is
conventional for ease in moving grill 10. Container 12 rests atop legs 11
and is designed to receive a means to heat food such as charcoal, wood,
natural gas or other fuel. Top 13 is hingedly joined to fuel container 12
as is conventional. Top handle 14 is preferably wood and is attached to
top 13. Vent 15 is positioned in the center of top 13 and includes cover
16 which rotates to open and close vent 15 as is standard. Grill 10 is
predominately, preferably metal, except as noted, to maintain structural
integrity in the face of heat such as experienced during food grilling.
Also seen is tubular compartment 20 covered by door 21 which is rigidly
affixed to handle 23.
Extending into notches 17 and 17' are longitudinal members 55 and 56 of
cooking baskets 50 (FIGS. 4 and 5). Note that notches 17 and 17' are
exaggerated in size for clarity. Longitudinal members 55 and 56 are
attached to wooden handles 57 and 58 respectively.
In FIGS. 2 and 3, the interior of grill 10 shows frame 47 which is
generally rectangular and is positioned within container 12 near sidewalls
18. Frame 47 includes front cross bar 46, rear cross bar 46', front
v-shaped vertical forks 48 and back v-shaped vertical forks 49 for support
of front and back transverse members 54 and 60 respectively of cooking
basket 50 (FIGS. 4 and 5). Frame 47 is atop tubular compartment 20 and is
supported by brackets or screws, while left pan 26 and right pan 27 extend
under and to the sides of tubular compartment 20. Pans 26 and 27 are
preferably tin and generally somewhat cup-like while being sized to fit
within container 12. Pans 26 and 27 are considered receptacles and are
designed to contain a means to heat and cook on grill 10 such as usual
charcoal briquettes 28. While charcoal is preferred, other heating means
are acceptable. These alternative means for heating include, but are not
limited to, heat dispersing rocks such as are commonly used in gas grills,
wood or even coal. In use, the fuel or means for heating are placed in
pans 26 and 27 such that some portion of the heating means is directly
under tubular compartment 20 while also being stacked against the sides of
tubular compartment 20 as seen in FIG. 3. Pans 26 and 27 include raised
edges 29 and 30 respectively which effectively provide handles for
inserting and removing pans 26 and 27 for cleaning or replacement as
needed. While a cylindrical tubular compartment 20 is preferred, other
shapes are possible, including squares, rectangles and ellipses. Circular
cross-sections are preferred because it causes heat to be evenly radiated
within tubular compartment 20. Also seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, tines of forks
48 are curved at the top to avoid sharp upwardly facing surfaces which may
cause injury. Note that tines of rear forks 49 can also be curved
outwardly as well for similar reasons, although, the rearward positioning
of forks 49 does not necessitate this precaution.
Tray 22 attached to door 21 as further shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Tray 22 is
slightly arcuate and supported by shelf 24 (seen dotted in FIGS. 1 and 2)
within tubular compartment 20. Tray 22 is well suited to support and cook
items such as potatoes and hot dogs. Mushrooms wrapped in aluminum foil
are also easily accommodated as are similar items. Hinges 19 (FIG. 2)
allow top 13 to pivot open and closed as is well understood by those
familiar with grills.
FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrates preferred cooking basket 50 in its open position
(FIG. 4) and its closed position (FIG. 5). Cooking basket 50 includes
first open wire mesh structure 51 and second open wire mesh structure 52
which are joined by hinges 53. Each hinge 53 is essentially an exaggerated
c-shaped member attached to mesh structure 51 which receives an axle
formed by one of the transverse wires of structure 52. This allows the
space between structure 51 and 52 to collapse or expand as needed by the
thickness of the article placed within basket 50 such as a hamburger
patty. Studs 64 are affixed to structure 52 in order to provide lateral
support for food items in basket 50 during turning as thin food items may
fall from of basket 50, but for studs 64. Studs 64 are preferably made of
the same wire that mesh structure 51 and 52 are made and extend
essentially the height of hinge 53 so as to generally span the space
between structures 51 and 52 when basket 50 is closed. Catch 62 surrounds
first longitudinal member 55 and slips over the terminal end of second
longitudinal member 56 when basket 50 is closed. Catch 62 is preferably a
loop, sized so as to fit over both longitudinal members, but other catches
are contemplated such as a hook or an s-shaped member. Latch 59 on first
structure 51 is designed to engage lip 63 (FIG. 1) on top 13 so as to hold
basket 50 open as desired, when grill 10 is open.
In use, empty cooking basket 50 may be placed on grill 10 and opened. Food
items may then be placed in basket 50 with latch 59 engaged with top 13
without having to manually hold basket 50 open. It should be noted in FIG.
4 that first longitudinal member 55 is attached to first transverse member
54 and second transverse member 60, and that transverse members 54 and 60
are substantially as wide as structures 51 and 52 indicated generally by
arrow 61. Transverse members 54 and 60 are each preferably elongated
members whose length is substantially greater than its width, but other
shapes such as circles, ellipses or the like are contemplated. The
elongated transverse shape allows basket 50, in its normal cooking
position, to sit very close to the heating means, while at the same time
raising basket 50 above the heating means when basket 50 is rotated. A
circular transverse member (not shown) would maintain basket 50 above the
heating means a constant amount, and would effectively space basket 50
from the heating means. While acceptable, this circular transverse member
and resulting positioning is not preferred.
FIGS. 6 A-D demonstrate the rotation of basket 50 when positioned in grill
10 on frame 47. Note that handle 57 is removed for clarity. In FIG. 6A,
longitudinal members 55 and 56 are positioned in front fork 48, with
transverse member 54 positioned on front cross bar 46 of frame 47. While
not seen, longitudinal member 55 is also positioned in back fork 49 and
second transverse member 60 also rests on frame 47 on rear cross bar 46'.
When cooking basket 50 is turned either clockwise or counter-clockwise,
elongated transverse members 54 and 60 cause longitudinal member 55 to
rise upwardly within forks 48 and 49, thereby lifting basket 50 above the
heating means (FIG. 6B). When basket 50 is vertical as seen in FIG. 6C,
the trailing edge of structures 51 and 52 clear the heating means, thus
allowing basket 50 to freely rotate above the heating means. As seen in
FIG. 6D, transverse members 54 and 60 allow basket 50 to be lowered
proximate the heating means again. As noted above, the elongated shape of
transverse members 54 and 60 is preferred to allow basket 50 to be very
close to the heating means during normal cooking, while effectively
raising basket 50 when manually turning. Other shapes such as a circular
transverse member (not shown) would hold basket 50 substantially above the
heating means during cooking while also allowing basket 50 to turn.
The preceding recitation is provided as an example of the preferred
embodiment and is not meant to limit the nature or scope of the present
invention and appended claims.
Top